CatoCooper13
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AP - Deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was probably hiding in or around his hometown of Tikrit, a commander of American troops in Iraq said.
Major General Ray Odierno said troops from the 4th Infantry Division had captured several of Saddam's former bodyguards in the past month.
"If he makes a mistake, we'll have him," Odierno said.
Odierno is in charge of about 20,000 soldiers and a sector of Iraq from north of Baghdad to Kirkuk and east to the Iranian border. It is one of the most problematic for American forces trying to stabilise security in the face of increasingly violent attacks that officials suspect could be the work of Saddam's Sunni and Baath Party loyalists.
There is still a $US25 million ($A39.03 million) reward on Saddam's head, and tips on his whereabouts have increased since his sons Uday and Qusay were killed in a shootout with American forces.
Odierno has recently said that it's believed Saddam has been moving and changing hiding places three or four times a day - a tactic he has perfected over the years to avoid would-be assassins.
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met with Odierno in Tikrit - about 160km north of Baghdad - his second day of a tour of Iraq. Rumsfeld also travelled to Mosul, where he met with local Iraqi officials and commanders of the 101st Airborne Division.
There also have been numerous "sightings" and tips on Saddam from Iraqis in and around Mosul - 384km north of Baghdad and the city where his sons were killed.
US-led coalition forces pushed into the Tikrit area north of Baghdad after the capital fell in April and since have launched a series of raids and other operations to track down remnants of Saddam's regime and his die-hard loyalists.
The Pentagon says troop efforts have led to a significant improvement in security in the area. But they acknowledge Saddam could be hiding anywhere - such as the home of a tribal supporter or even a public facility.
©AAP 2003
Major General Ray Odierno said troops from the 4th Infantry Division had captured several of Saddam's former bodyguards in the past month.
"If he makes a mistake, we'll have him," Odierno said.
Odierno is in charge of about 20,000 soldiers and a sector of Iraq from north of Baghdad to Kirkuk and east to the Iranian border. It is one of the most problematic for American forces trying to stabilise security in the face of increasingly violent attacks that officials suspect could be the work of Saddam's Sunni and Baath Party loyalists.
There is still a $US25 million ($A39.03 million) reward on Saddam's head, and tips on his whereabouts have increased since his sons Uday and Qusay were killed in a shootout with American forces.
Odierno has recently said that it's believed Saddam has been moving and changing hiding places three or four times a day - a tactic he has perfected over the years to avoid would-be assassins.
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met with Odierno in Tikrit - about 160km north of Baghdad - his second day of a tour of Iraq. Rumsfeld also travelled to Mosul, where he met with local Iraqi officials and commanders of the 101st Airborne Division.
There also have been numerous "sightings" and tips on Saddam from Iraqis in and around Mosul - 384km north of Baghdad and the city where his sons were killed.
US-led coalition forces pushed into the Tikrit area north of Baghdad after the capital fell in April and since have launched a series of raids and other operations to track down remnants of Saddam's regime and his die-hard loyalists.
The Pentagon says troop efforts have led to a significant improvement in security in the area. But they acknowledge Saddam could be hiding anywhere - such as the home of a tribal supporter or even a public facility.
©AAP 2003
